Evangeline Booth (1865-1950), administrator in the Salvation Army, was born in London, England. Her parents, William and Catherine, founded The Salvation Army. Between 1896 and 1904 Evangeline was the director of Salvation Army operations in Canada. Subsequently she became the director in the United States between 1904 and 1934. Evangeline was a strong-willed individual who readily accepted her leadership role in the organization her family started. Her dedication to the movement and service to American troops in Word War 1 resulted in her being given the nickname the “Commander.” She is well-known for her work with the homeless, alcoholics, unwed mothers and neglected children during the Depression. In 1934 she was elected the fourth general of The Salvation Army and returned to London only to retire in the U.S., her adopted homeland, four years later.

For further reading see E.H McKinley, Marching to Glory: The History of the Salvation Army, 1880-1992 (Eerdmans, 1995).